Rescuing Merlin
by KatelynnLynn
Summary: Slight sequel to Rescuing Arthur. Who can resist the chemestry between our two favorite antagonists in "Moment of Truth"? Not this author. Vingettes based on some lines from the episode.
1. Rescuing Merlin

Disclaimer: Not mine. …Rather unfortunately.

* * *

Arthur stood in the armoury, staring at the chain mail hanging on the wall, and wondering just what the hell he was about to do.

It wasn't as though he OWED Merlin anything. The boy was his servant. Merlin was entitled to save his life, like that day at the lake that Arthur found he couldn't quite remember. So why was he contemplating returning the favour?

Arthur shook his head and grabbed the chain mail, throwing it on and convincing himself he was doing this only because he needed his servant alive if he was to be of any help.

* * *

Okay. So. This epically sucked to write, because there are SO MANY different ways I could've gone just from the fodder in this one episode ("The Moment of Truth"). The tension between Merlin and Arthur is too perfect, and the way that everybody keeps insisting that Arthur is there simply because he cares for Merlin?! How perfect is that for fanfic ideas?

I could possibly write some of those little one-shots down if prompted enough…=)


	2. Two Sides of the Same Coin

This chappie actually takes place some time after "Le Morte d'Arthur", but still focuses around "Moment of Truth". Slight spoilers for "d'Arthur" ensue.

* * *

"Did you know?"

Hunith looked up, startled from her steady chopping of tonight's carrots.

"Did I what?"

Merlin studied the table intensely, following a knot in the wood with a finger.

"When you told me…that day…that…that Arthur and I were 'two sides of the same coin.' Did you know?" Hunith stood straighter, waiting for her son to spit out what was really bothering him. "Did you know that I…that I—"

"Loved him?" Relieved, Hunith went back to the carrots before answering. "Yes, of course I did." She scooped the slices up and dumped them into a pot. Looking up, she saw Merlin staring at her, incredulous. She frowned at him. "Merlin, you're my son. What kind of a mother would I be if I hadn't known?"

"But…" Merlin was having trouble wrapping his head around this. "But…but _I_ didn't even know!" Hunith smiled gently.

"I knew that too." She wiped the knife with a rag. "What made you realize it, anyway?"

Merlin blushed.

How could he explain to her that it was only as Arthur had lain, dying, that the warlock had realized he would do anything, _anything_, for the prat he called a prince? That when he had learned of Arthur's recovery, his joy was so absolute that he could've jumped out of a window and flown?

How could he tell her that as she herself had lain, suffering, and Merlin had gone to talk to Arthur in what the warlock thought would be his own last hours, he'd caught himself before saying the one thing he'd _never _thought he'd say?

'_Any other pointers?'_

'_I love you!' Merlin's mind screamed at him to say. 'I love you and I did this all for you!'_

"You don't _have_ to tell me." Merlin jumped as Hunith broke through his memory. "I just feel better knowing you know."

"Me too." Merlin forced a laugh. "I do too."

But he didn't. At all.

* * *

Wow. So I went through this entire thing totally forgetting Hunith's name, and I pulled Huthir out of nowhere.

All better now ^_^


	3. Here For Merlin

Not mine. 'Specially not the lines you recognize.

* * *

Merlin knew he shouldn't have been listening. But when the girls were lying so close, it was hard not to. Especially when it was a conversation such as this.

"Why do you think he came here?" Gwen's voice was cautious, as though already knowing the answer, but wanting to hear it verified.

"The same reason we did. Merlin. Arthur may act like he doesn't care, but... he wouldn't be here if he didn't." Morgana sounded so sure, and Merlin threw his arm over his head, covering his ear.

His mother had thought so, too. But no. Arthur couldn't _care_ for Merlin, not like that. Merlin was finding it hard to believe that the prince was even here in the first place. Merlin couldn't imagine Arthur ever doing anything like this just for _him_.

At least, not without an ulterior motive.

Maybe that was it. Maybe by saving Merlin's village, Arthur thought his life debt would be repaid and Merlin could stop serving him?

Yes, that'd be it. Arthur just wanted Merlin out of his hair.

Well. Merlin wasn't complaining.


	4. No More Hiding

The final chapter in my quaint little story. Unless anyone requests a line used.

Pure fluff this time around ^_^

Not mine. *sighs*

* * *

"You shouldn't have kept this from me, Merlin."

Arthur seriously needed to come up with another line, especially when the subject was magic. Merlin could feel the ax coming down on his neck already.

The book in Arthur's hands sat silent, mocking Merlin. He'd had a strange feeling from day one that the book was alive somehow. Now it seemed more alive than ever, taunting him from the livid prince's grasp.

"What? Nothing to say, _sorcerer_?" Merlin shrugged at the venom in Arthur's voice, consenting defeat.

"Might as well run off to daddy, hadn't you?" Arthur looked as stunned as Merlin felt. He hadn't meant to say that, hadn't even known he'd been thinking it. His mouth continued. "You know you should. You've been living the life of the perfect son all these years without a hitch. Why break your perfect track record now?" Surprise had been replaced by outrage on Arthur's pale face.

"Merlin! What do you—"

"Oh shut up, you great prat." Well, that definitely _sounded_ more like Merlin. He tried to convey his real thoughts through his eyes. _'Arthur…please…' _"You're just afraid. Afraid I might do to you what you did to your mother."

Merlin knew the blow was imminent; even felt that he deserved it, in a way. But the tears in Arthur's eyes hurt him more than the fist had.

Both of them were expecting Merlin's mouth to go on, for him to keep digging his already huge hole, but he didn't.

Blessed silence reigned on them at last.

"How—How _dare_ you… you speak to me like that!" Arthur was furious, and rightfully so.

"Arthur…"

"No. No, I don't want to hear any more from you, you… you…" Not finding a vile enough word, Arthur simply kicked the magic book. Merlin picked the book up as Arthur stormed away, presumably to get Uther.

"I LOVED YOU!"

Arthur's voice echoed down what Merlin was sure was every corridor in the castle. The book had dropped to the floor, startled from Merlin's hands, and Arthur turned slowly, white-faced and shaking.

"What did you do to me?"

Merlin stared.

"I didn't—"

"You made me say that!" Merlin shook his head, frantic.

"I _didn't_…" His eyes fell on the book at his feet, and his stomach suddenly clenched. He reached for it again.

"Don't you dare—" The moment Merlin's fingers had brushed the cover, Arthur's sentence changed halfway. "I loved you and you betrayed me. How could you do this to me, Merlin?"

Merlin took his hand from the book and stared into Arthur's ashen face.

In a sudden blaze of fury and realization, Arthur was suddenly in front of him, magic book in hand.

"I didn't mean to." The words were suddenly spilling from Merlin's mouth with no inhibitions. He wasn't even _thinking_ these things! "I love you, and I never meant to hurt you. God's, I've loved you since the moment you wouldn't shake my hand." Arthur laughed incredulously, seemingly in spite of his anger. "You're an arrogant prat and a daddy's boy and a self-centered ass and I love you."

Merlin, having had quite enough of this, grabbed the book from the silent prince's grasp and chucked it behind his shoulder.

He longed to ask what was going to happen to him now, whether or not it would be the stocks again, or worse, the ax. Actually, Merlin thought that the second option was looking like a nice choice as the silence drug on.

He was too terrified to speak. So, it seemed, was Arthur.

And it figured that just when Merlin _had_ worked up enough courage to say something, and had opened his mouth to do just that, Arthur would close his own mouth over Merlin's, wrap his arms around him, and kiss him thoroughly.

Not that Merlin was complaining.

And, laying on the floor and completely forgotten, the magic book laughed silently.

* * *

Merlin doesn't seem to complain about a lot, does he? :D


End file.
